Six people had to be evacuated from their homes last night.

A chimney fire at a block of flats in Windmill Street, Gravesend broke out at 6pm.

A Kent Fire and Rescue spokesman said: “There was around half a dozen people we had to get out of the building because the property was very smokey.

“Fortunately it was only a little fire and we managed to put it out relatively quickly and people were able to go back into their homes ones the smoke had cleared.”

One appliance from Thames-side was at the scene and the crew put the fire out in around 45 minutes.